What's the fascination with the MBA?

[dewisant]

I have to ask this question: What's the fascination with the MBA? It is not an academic degree, it is in fact job training, isn't it? Please let me know because I guess I just don't get it.

[OfficerA]

I know of it more as a toolset; a lot of commissioned officers where I'm at have been pursuing it regardless of what their bachelor's was in, as it seems to set them up for a better future career-wise both in and outside the military.

For me, it's only 30-36 credits; might as well knock it out while I have TA.

[UptonSinclair]

A coworker and I were just discussing business degrees. In both of our technical fields, someone with a technical degree is stuck in the technical field while those with business degrees have more upward mobility. It doesn't make sense when you consider the extra work someone has to put in for a technical degree, but it seems to be the reality. This is based just on personal experience.

[sanantone]

MBA programs teach skills to those who want to move up to administration and management. Management, accounting, finance, economics - these are things needed to run a business. The MPA is the MBA for the public sector, but many people in the public sector just go for the MBA since it's valued in the private and public sectors.

[bawhitsett]

For me, it was all about taking advantage of a great tuition reimbursement program and earning a credential that, while fairly common these days, still offered upward career mobility and flexibility. It's valued in my present field (business analytics) and with a desire to eventually get into project management, this should continue to be the case.

[dewisant]

MBA programs teach skills to those who want to move up to administration and management. Management, accounting, finance, economics - these are things needed to run a business. The MPA is the MBA for the public sector, but many people in the public sector just go for the MBA since it's valued in the private and public sectors.

I would suggest that what is needed to run a business is leadership skills and the people who have skills unique to the business. I do not think one-size-fits-all management can effectively lead.

[publius2k4]

I would suggest that what is needed to run a business is leadership skills and the people who have skills unique to the business. I do not think one-size-fits-all management can effectively lead.

It is true that leadership skills are important, but you also have to know the jobs of your subordinates so that you can lead them effectively. For example, if you know nothing about accounting, how can you effectively lead an accounting department? Or if you are a marketing supervisor with no marketing knowledge, you would not be very effective.

These are the courses in my MBA program at WGU;

E-Business
Supply Chain
Human Resources
Leadership
Financial Analysis
Social Responsibility
Organizational Management
Decision Analysis
Risk Management
Strategic Management
MBA, Management and Strategy Capstone Written Project

All of them are challenging, and will definitely help broaden my skill-set for use in the workplace. Are they required to run a business? No.

Steve Jobs did not have an MBA....or a bachelors degree of any kind. It also took him nearly 24 years before he could be named CEO of the company he (and Wozniak) founded.

[dewisant]

It seems that many times a person with a degree works for someone who does not have one. The list of millionaires and billionaires without a college degree is quite long I would imagine?

[sanantone]

Steve Jobs is an outlier and was fired by his own company. There are also people who were either born into money or were lucky to own property with oil on it.

My county had a sheriff with a lot of law enforcement leadership experience, but he was terrible as a sheriff. The woman who beat him in the election had zero law enforcement experience, but she has years of experience in administration with the military. Our prior sheriff lacked negotiation, budgeting, and personnel skills. He was educated, but he had a degree in political science. Sheriff Pamerleau has an MPA. This might not be representative of all situations, but it goes to show you that leadership skills can sometimes not be enough to lead an organization. At the lower levels of a law enforcement agency such as sergeant and lieutenant, knowing the job is important. At the higher levels, it's all about running the organization as a whole.

[sanantone]

I would suggest that what is needed to run a business is leadership skills and the people who have skills unique to the business. I do not think one-size-fits-all management can effectively lead.

This is how people end up with accountants who steal money from them without them even knowing.